Giant Rubber Duck Sets Sail In Pittsburgh [Video]

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman created the giant bath toy which has already been seen in cities like Tokyo and Sydney. This is the first time that the Giant Rubber Duck has been spotted in the United States.

Hofman told CBS: “It’s not a gimmick… It’s funny, but it’s about joy and happiness. It’s also about connecting people all over the globe.”

But how did the Giant Rubber Duck end up in Pittsburgh?

Time Magazine notes that Paul Organisak of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust loved the idea and decided to contact Hofman about building one of his creations in the United States. Hoffman approved and soon Pittsburgh began the months long process of constructing a Giant Rubber Duck.

But all the work paid off today as the people of Pittsburgh took in their first view of the strange art installment.

Kevin McMahon, of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust said: “We didn’t know what the Pittsburgh response is, and here are – overwhelmed… We think there may be more than a half a million people here today.”